Josh D’Amaro will be the new chief executive officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company and Dana Walden will assume the role of president and chief creative officer, marking a historic change in the leadership of the entertainment multinational.
The key changes in the executive leadership
Josh D’Amaro
Until now president of the theme parks and experiences division of Disney, he has been chosen **new CEO**, succeeding **Bob Iger**, who will leave the position on **March 18, 2026** after more than two decades at the helm of the company.D’Amaro, with 28 years of experience at Disney, has directed since 2020 the company’s largest business unit, which generates 36 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs 185,000 people worldwide. His experience includes positions such as president of Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, where he was key in the expansion of Disney franchises through the creation of immersive and narrative experiences in theme parks
James Gorman highlighted that D’Amaro possesses “a unique combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, strategic vision, and passion for the Disney brand and its people, all of which makes him the ideal person to assume leadership of the company”. For his part, Robert Iger described him as “an exceptional leader, capable of combining creativity with operational excellence”.
Dana Walden
Copresident of Disney Entertainment, has been named president and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Company, assuming her duties also on March 18. The company emphasizes that Bob Iger mentored internal candidates throughout the succession process and will continue as senior advisor and board member until his retirement on December 31, 2026
What this change means
This handover comes after a succession process carefully planned by the board of directors and reflects the weight of the parks and experiences divisions within Disney, which have been fundamental to its revenue and global expansion. Bob Iger, recognized for leading major acquisitions (such as Pixar, Marvel, or Lucasfilm), will continue as senior advisor and board member until his retirement in December 2026. He contributed to quintupling the company's market capitalization and consolidating Disney as a global entertainment giant
Josh D’Amaro, for his part, assured in a recent interview that artificial intelligence will not replace human creativity within the company: "The reason why this company is so special is because of how creative we are, and because of the human beings who generate that creativity. In my opinion, that will never be replaced".
The new chief executive of Disney thus emphasized the importance of keeping human talent as the central axis of the company, even while exploring advanced technological tools. The statement comes at a time of growing debate about the role of artificial intelligence in the entertainment and film industry, and about how to balance technological innovation with the artistic vision of creators